22 U.S. Code § 2452c - Program to provide grants to American-sponsored schools in predominantly Muslim countries to provide scholarships

(1)During the 2003–2004 school year, the Office of Overseas Schools of the Department of State is financially assisting 189 elementary and secondary schools in foreign countries.

(2)United States-sponsored elementary and secondary schools are located in more than 20 countries with predominantly Muslim populations in the Near East, Africa, South Asia, Central Asia, and East Asia.

(3)United States-sponsored elementary and secondary schools provide an American-style education in English, with curricula that typically include an emphasis on the development of critical thinking and analytical skills.

(b) Statement of policy

The United States has an interest in increasing the level of financial support provided to United States-sponsored elementary and secondary schools in countries with predominantly Muslim populations in order to—

(1)increase the number of students in such countries who attend such schools;

(2)increase the number of young people who may thereby gain at any early age an appreciation for the culture, society, and history of the United States; and

(3)increase the number of young people who may thereby improve their proficiency in the English language.

(c) Program

The Secretary of State, acting through the Director of the Office of Overseas Schools of the Department of State, may conduct a program to make grants to United States-sponsored elementary and secondary schools in countries with predominantly Muslim populations for the purpose of providing full or partial merit-based scholarships to students from lower-income and middle-income families of such countries to attend such schools.

(d) Determination of eligible students

For purposes of the program, a United States-sponsored elementary and secondary school that receives a grant under the program may establish criteria to be implemented by such school to determine what constitutes lower-income and middle-income families in the country (or region of the country, if regional variations in income levels in the country are significant) in which such school is located.

(e) Restriction on use of funds

Amounts appropriated to the Secretary of State pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in subsection (h) shall be used for the sole purpose of making grants under this section, and may not be used for the administration of the Office of Overseas Schools of the Department of State or for any other activity of the Office.

(f) Voluntary participation

Nothing in this section shall be construed to require participation in the program by a United States-sponsored elementary or secondary school in a predominantly Muslim country.

(g) Report

Not later than April 15, 2006, and April 15, 2008, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report on the program. The report shall assess the success of the program, examine any obstacles encountered in its implementation, and address whether it should be continued, and if so, provide recommendations to increase its effectiveness.

(h) Funding

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State for each of the fiscal years 2007 and 2008, unless otherwise authorized by Congress, such sums as necessary to implement the program under this section.

Section was formerly set out as a note under section
2452 of this title.

Section was enacted as part of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, and also as part of the 9/11 Commission Implementation Act of 2004, and not as part of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 which comprises this chapter.

Committee on International Relations of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Foreign Affairs of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Tenth Congress, Jan. 5, 2007.

“(1) Section 7113 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (Public Law 108–458; 22 U.S.C. 2452 note [now 22 U.S.C. 2452c]) authorized the establishment of a pilot program to provide grants to American-sponsored schools in predominantly Muslim countries so that such schools could provide scholarships to young people from lower-income and middle-income families in such countries to attend such schools, where they could improve their English and be exposed to a modern education.

“(2) Since the date of the enactment of that section [Dec. 17, 2004], the Middle East Partnership Initiative has pursued implementation of that program.”